A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of carrying a fake gun after fears of an ‘attempted mass shooter’ near Stamford Bridge.
The 16-year-old is thought to have been on his way to a nearby comic convention when he was tackled by police.
The Met confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm in Fulham Broadway.
Posts on X wrongly claimed there was ‘an attempted mass shooter’ who had been apprehended by police near Stamford Bridge.
One post, which got over 200,000 views in under half an hour, claimed: ‘An X/ Twitter post claimed: ‘An attempted mass shooter has been arrested near Stamford Bridge after the Chelsea game.
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‘He was wearing a helmet, had a vest on, armed with a gun while carrying extra ammunition.
The Met Police dismissed these claims as wholly untrue.
The user then posted a follow up minutes later, clarifying: ‘There is a possibility that the police have got it wrong as there is a comic-con going on in Hammersmith today, with the person they are arresting potentially dressing up like an umbrella cop. Awaiting confirmation.’
Videos on X appear to show the individual being tackled by police officers.
The man also appears to be wearing a suit with an Umbrella Corporation logo from the horror game series Resident Evil.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘A 16-year-old boy remains in police custody after he was arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm.
‘The arrest occurred in Fulham Broadway at 14:41hrs on Saturday, 30 August after officers received information about a boy displaying a weapon and walking towards a crowded area. No one was injured in the incident.’
London Anime & Gaming Con is taking place in Hammersmith over the weekend.
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